Pretty predictable choices here pretty much in line with what we see at the golden globes. While I think Dallas Buyers Club and Captain Philips were good films I don't see them as being best picture calibre at all. American Hustle is a film I really dislike and I don't feel deserves any nominations whatsoever. Getting a nomination for such a terrible cluttered script is the kind of thing that makes me not even want to pay attention to the Oscars as noms have as much to do with campaigning and wining/dining the academy than it does actual merit. Biggest oversight for me would be Greta Gerwig for Frances Ha, now I know this was a small film and not really the kind to get Oscar love but she was really fantastic here. Here are my personal picks.

The one nomination that made me was Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa for Makeup!

To be fair, at least the makeup in BG looked realistic and took some effort. THE LONE RANGER getting nominated in that same category was just stupid -- slap some greasepaint and a dead bird on Johnny Depp = better makeup than THE HOBBIT.

I would've liked it if PACIFIC RIM had gotten some technical noms but I suppose it's a moot point b/c GRAVITY's going to win in all those categories anyway.

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Mud was fantastic, but I think it got left out because it was technically a 2012 film despite getting a 2013 theatrical. Agree with Torgo that Wolf of Wall Street is among the best films of 2013 (my 1# by a mile or a km because i'm Canadian).

The one nomination that made me was Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa for Makeup!

To be fair, at least the makeup in BG looked realistic and took some effort. THE LONE RANGER getting nominated in that same category was just stupid -- slap some greasepaint and a dead bird on Johnny Depp = better makeup than THE HOBBIT.

I would've liked it if PACIFIC RIM had gotten some technical noms but I suppose it's a moot point b/c GRAVITY's going to win in all those categories anyway.

At first, I thought the chances of "The Lone Ranger" winning was somewhere between 0 and none, but looking at its competition, only 2 more films nominated, it may not be the odds on favorite to win, but its odds of winning just went up.

Pleased with most of the acting nominations, though I do think Emma Thompson who played P. L. Travers in "Saving Mr. Banks" got royally screwed this year. A very difficult role to play, as the character was basically unlikable, and if Emma did not make the character likable, she at least made the character understandable.

Though, the most interesting category--to me--this year is Best Song, as the Golden Globe winner in that category was "Please Mr. Kennedy" from "Inside Llewyn Davis," which is not even nominated for an Oscar. Which probably puts "Let It Go" from "Frozen" as the odds on favorite to win this year.

And the odds on favorite to win Best Animated Film.

Though, the more interesting category--again to me--is Best Animated Short Subject with its nomination of "Get a Horse," which is a throwback to the old school black-and-white, rubber hose style of animation of 80 and more years ago.

But, we shall see what we shall see, with the understanding that the best does not always win in each category.

1st It does not mean that the people who nominate the films for Oscars nor the general film going public are better at picking what is best. (Actually, being the egotist that I am. I think I am better than them.) What it does mean is that I can remember a time when there was some agreement between the two, or the top grossing films of the year also were the films that got the most Oscar nominations. That is no longer true.

2nd Entertainment is a crazy business and not for the faint of heart, and while the filmmakers responsible for "Frozen" thought it would do well at the box office. None of them would have guessed how well it has done.

3rd What would Hollywood rather have each year? A "Nebraska" or a "Frozen?" Or I have $1.63 in one hand and $234.17 in the other hand. All other things being equal, which hand would you take? That's what I thought.

4th Is "12 Years a Slave" a "bad" film because no one--relatively speaking--wanted to see it? No, of course not. But most critics, who like the film, would not call it a "bad" film, because, in comparison to most of the other films no one wanted to see it. On the other hand, take a film that critics dislike, and no one wants to see, they will call it a "bad" film, because no one wants to see it. Which is why I do not pay much attention to what most critifcs say.